The invention relates to a light grid having a number of transmitting and receiving elements.
Such light grids having a number of individual light barriers arranged in the form of a line are used, e.g., to secure a danger area. Upon intrusion by a person, or, generally, an object, into the monitoring area, the light beams are interrupted, and a switching operation is thereupon triggered, for example, a warning signal or a reliable shutdown of a machine.
Conventional light grids require the installation of a transmitter and a receiver at the outermost limits of access to the danger area, or, at a minimum, a mirror on one side and a combined transmitter/receiver module on the other. Moreover, with these light grids it is possible only with a high outlay to define differing areas upon the violation of which different system reactions are triggered.